Palmerton High School has a.m. bomb scare

School forced to go in lock-down mode Friday

A bomb scare caused Palmerton Area High School to be in lockdown mode for several hours Friday morning.

Details of the incident - provided by Superintendent Carol Boyce - are posted on the district's web site, www.palmerton.org[1].

Boyce said the incident was reported yesterday morning at around 10 a.m. at the junior/senior high school when "a student found a bomb threat in one of the men's bathrooms and reported it to the administration."

"In accordance with our emergency protocol, we immediately locked down the building," Boyce said. "All students were held in their classes pending investigation of the reported threat."

Boyce continued "Pennsylvania State Police were called in accordance with our protocol, and they brought in their bomb sniffing dog as a matter of routine in such reports."

"The building was searched, and no bomb was found," said Boyce, who added the investigation wrapped up after noon. "Critical information, and evidence regarding the source of the criminal activity, has been found by the State Police as a result of their thorough investigation."

Boyce added that the district, as well as State Police, request that if any student has information with regard to the threat, or if parents receive information from their students, to contact the Lehighton State Police Barracks at 610-377-4270, or the high school at 610-826-3155.

"The district appreciates the cooperation of the State Police, and the patience of staff and students during the lock down," Boyce said. "We understand the concern of parents and families, and assure you that we have followed our required procedure to keep everyone safe, and to cooperate with law enforcement in a criminal investigation."